Cordova, Illinois 3M Agrees to EPA Order to Sample and Provide Treatment for PFAS Contamination in Drinking Water
3M Agrees to EPA Order to Sample and Provide Treatment for PFAS Contamination in Drinking Water near Cordova, IL Facility
EPA Enforcement Part of Agency Strategy to Characterize and Address PFAS Releases from Major Manufacturers
subconsciously WASHINGTON (November 3, 2022) – Today, the 3M Company agreed to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) order to sample and provide treatment to address contamination from per- and polyfluoroakyl substances (PFAS) found in drinking water in the vicinity of 3M’s Cordova, IL facility. Recent sampling results provided by 3M indicate the widespread presence of a mixture of at least 19 different PFAS chemicals in drinking water within a 3-mile radius of the Cordova facility. Given the unique circumstances affecting this community, including more than five decades of PFAS discharges and the many types of PFAS chemicals found, EPA has concluded that the situation constitutes an imminent and substantial endangerment under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.
“I have directed EPA staff to use every enforcement tool at our disposal to require manufacturers of PFAS to address potential endangerment to the public and to compel them to characterize, control, and clean up ongoing and past PFAS contamination,” http://ukadventureracing.co.uk/groups/social/members said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Communities have suffered far too long from exposure to these chemicals. This settlement is a critical step forward in our work to protect communities from pollution and hold polluters accountable for their actions.”
As part of this settlement, 3M is required to offer treatment to all private well owners within 3 miles of the facility and to the Camanche Water Supply in Iowa, in an effort to remove PFAS from the drinking water. 3M is also required to offer drinking water sampling out to 4 miles from the facility for private well owners and out to 10 miles from the facility for public water systems as well as to the Quad Cities’ public water systems, using EPA protocols and conducted under EPA oversight.
3M’s sampling of the drinking water in private wells near the facility detected a range of concentrations including: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) of non-detect to 25 ppt, perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) of non-detect to 30 ppt, hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), or “GenX” of non-detect to 59 ppt, and perfluorobutane sulfunate (PFBS) of non-detect to 51 ppt. 3M did not use EPA test methods for this sampling. As a result, the order issued today requires 3M to sample these wells again following EPA test methods.
3M was one of the original companies developing and producing PFAS within the United States, and their Cordova facility operations and discharges containing PFAS chemicals date back to the 1970s. 3M’s agreement to the terms of the Order including completing the work required under EPA’s oversight is an important step to begin addressing the problem created by decades of contamination. This settlement is part of EPA’s ongoing efforts to compel major PFAS manufacturers to characterize and control ongoing releases from their facilities.
Background
Last year, EPA launched the PFAS Strategic Roadmap, a whole-of-agency approach for addressing PFAS. The Roadmap sets timelines by which EPA plans to take specific actions and commit to new policies to safeguard public health, protect the environment, and hold polluters accountable. In the national PFAS Roadmap, EPA commits to investigate releases of PFAS and where needed require manufacturers to characterize and control their PFAS releases. In the Roadmap, EPA also commits to take swift action to address potential endangerments to public health. EPA is actively working with its state partners on this effort, which will build upon valuable work led by a number of states.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, collectively called “PFAS,” are a group of man-made chemicals that have been manufactured and used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. There are thousands of different PFAS chemicals, some of which have been more widely used and studied than others.
More information on EPA Order to sample drinking water near the 3M Cordova Facility
Make Your Home Green
The word “Green” has taken on a new life. This word has been used to suggest a better approach for the planet and environment. That is great – but really “Going Green” can save you money by reducing waste and efficiency. So rather than “Going Green” – How about we suggest some ways to keep the green in your pocket. This post is about making your bank account turn “Green” and investing in yourself. To live the lifestyle – We Recommend the book “Living a Less Toxic Life”.
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Tip 1 – Cut and Reduce the Waste (Energy and Water)
The first action is get an energy audit done on your home. A professional can evaluate where you are wasting energy on heating and/or cooling your home, the appliances you are using, and how you are heating your water. These inefficiency may be associated with other environmental problems, such as mold, termites, and water damage. One book we like is the Homeowner Guide to Energy Efficiency. A really nice kit to reduce your water usage – Save Water Kit. If you are a DIY – this is a great home course on conducting an energy audit. Some general tips:
a. Install a programmable thermostat. Set in winter to 68 degrees (Yes this means socks, slips, and maybe a robe) . Remember the King and Queen of the Castle wore a Robe – nothing wrong! In the summer, set at 78 degrees (Honestly this does not work for me either- so add a ceiling fan).
b. Inspect your windows – caulk and seal air leaks around windows, tape the heating ducts, replace or install weather stripping, and maybe upgrade the windows. If you can not update the windows at least add a window insulator.
c. Recycle household materials.
d. Get Rid of the Energy Vampires ! With any luck you have gotten rid of the emotional vampires – now it is time for the energy vampires. This means putting TVs, DVRs, Cable boxes, and other similar appliances on power strips and turning off the power strips when you are not using the devices. For the cell phone and small electronic devices – this means taking the charge out of the wall socket when the device is charged. In PA – Host a Cell Phone Recycling Program at Work or an Event.
e. Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs or other more efficient lighting.
Tip 2 – More on Water
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1. Fix leaks in faucets – If you are going to consider water treatment – Consider a non-sodium based water softener.
2. Do not run the water will you are brushing your teeth or shaving.
3. If you like cold water – maybe put a pitcher of water in the refrigerator to cool (No more than 2 days old please) and use a glass vessel.
4. Run full loads and maybe switch to a front load washer. 5. On the water side – do not flush medications, do not flush wipes, and the toilet is not for kitchen waste.
5. Install low-flow shower head and maybe a low-flow toilet or a toilet bladder.
6. Rain Barrels and Water Gardens – Save the Rain and Re-Use (Rain Water Harvesting)- Also – do we really need English Lawns?
7. Companies – Dallas, PA – Recommend Huntsville Nursery and Landscaping and Rain Water Harvesting Eastern Regional Water Quality Association.
Tip 3 – Cleaners – Maybe not so Harsh
1. Take a look at your chemical cleaners and switch to phosphate free and “detergent free” cleaners.
2. If you have red or black stains, try cleaning with a citric acid based cleaner rather and chlorine. This is a great guide to non-toxic cleaners.
Change starts with taking just one step. That is how we learned to walk. If you are concerned about unknown hazards in your community. Consider reviewing the Keystone Clean Water Team healthy community program. We are working with a national environmental database search company to offer a report to help you understand your home’s or your future homes environmental health status within a community. The program, Neighborhood Environmental Report™, offers a search of over 1,400 databases and millions of records of potential land and groundwater contamination within 1 mile radius of the entered address. To learn more.
Everything we do began with an idea.
We have offered “Free” Assistance to this effort, but if you are a private well owner that needs assistance we are happy to help.
We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot. Get YOUR WATER Tested – Discounted Screening Tests !
For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us. Follow us on Twitter
Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Unsolicited donations are appreciated (Helps us complete our mission), but we also do local educational workshops and local cellphone/small electronic recycling programs. If you would like to set up a program to help recycle cellphones at an event, business, or other organization. Through our program we can recycle cell phones, iPods, game systems, and small digital cameras. If your interested, please contact us. Our new PSAs.
Help the Organization and Get Your Water Tested or Order the Private Well Owner Guide (proceeds benefit This Organization). Water Science Basics!
Nationwide Program – Neighborhood Environmental Report Your Home Health Status
Nationwide Program – The Keystone Clean Water Team is in pre-launch for a new USA program to help homeowners. The program helps you to identify the existing and historic environmental hazards in your community. We are working with a national environmental database search company to offer a report to help you understand your home’s or your future homes environmental health status within a community. We are doing this by taking a snapshot of the current and historic environmental concerns and hazards in the community and a review of select criminal activity. This program has been lauched – order a Neighboorhood Hazard Reports.
The program, Neighborhood Environmental Report™, offers a search of over 1,400 databases and millions of records of potential land and groundwater contamination within 1 mile radius of the entered address. The report includes a search for concerns that might be dangerous to a homeowner’s family or investment such as nearby leaking underground oil tanks, leaky underground fuel tanks (LUSTs), leaky above ground tanks (LASTs), CDC Health Assessment Database, landfills, hazardous waste sites, DOD facilities, gas and radiological sources, National Wetland Mapping, Flooding mapping data, drug houses, and clandestine drug labs.
Healthy Communities = Healthy Kids and Families
Some of the most toxic and/or costly hazards exists outside of your home. These contaminants can enter your home through direct human or animal contract or vapor intrusion into your home through the air, soil, or groundwater. These hazards pose a threat to you and your family’s health and the value of your property. Every report includes detailed information about what has been searched and identified as well as contact information for all governmental and private organizations cited in the databases.
The benefits of this report:
1. Help existing homeowners understand the hazards in their communities.
2. Aid future homeowners quickly learn about the historic hazards and concerns to conduct prior water quality, soils, or environmental testing and get the proper inspections.
3. Aid real estate professionals, investors, and appraisers evaluate the value of a home or residential property.
4. If you are selling your home, what a great way to introduce your home and surrounding community to any potential buyers, and as a home buyer, the Neighborhood Environmental Report helps provide peace of mind for you and your family.
5. For environmental groups, this is a great way to educate and inform your community about existing environmental hazards, develop local targeted sub-watershed monitoring programs, and educate children about their communities. In some cases a larger search area is needed.
6. Home inspectors, environmental laboratories, and other may find the reports useful, but in many cases some additional review or interpretation will be needed to select the appropriate testing parameters, inspections, and monitoring.
(Example Report Dallas Pennsylvania)
We ran this report for a small business owner that was looking to purchase a residential property in Shavertown, PA. The property was going to be purchased for cash. We completed the search and search identified a specific potential problem with a past but active leak at a gasoline station. This lead the buyer to ask for more information. When the right questions were asked, it was determined that there may be some environmental hazards that could impact the value of the property. In addition, the preliminary search suggested that the property could be located in a floodplain. The quote from the buyer – “The preliminary information and educational materials allowed me to better understand my risk and allow me to find a new property in a timely manner and save over $ 200,000.00” (GW, Shavertown, PA, 2015).
During the period from 2010 to 2011 – the following are the states with the most “Meth Lab” busts: Missouri, Tennessee , Indiana , Kentucky, Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
We are in pre-launch on this service. During pre-launch we are offering to complete compile this report for a fee of only $ 55.00. After pre-launch and website design, we think the final cost will be $ 75 and up. Neighboorhood Hazard Reports
2. Contact Mr. Brian Oram at the Keystone Clean Water Team (KCWT) at cleanwater@carbonwaters.org and provide the mailing address for the property, your contact information, email address, and phone number. We can provide this service for the USA. For some areas, we may need more information.
Terms and Conditions
1. Reports do not meet the terms and conditions of an environmental audit for real estate translations.
2. Reports can not be resold and the copyright will be maintained by the Keystone Clean Water Team.
3. Any analyses, estimates, ratings or risk codes provided in this Report are provided for illustrative purposes only, and are not intended to provide, nor should they be interpreted as providing any facts regarding, or prediction or forecast of, any environmental risk for any property. Only a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment performed by an environmental professional can provide information regarding the environmental risk for any property. This Report is not a replacement for a home inspection. This Report does not provide information pertaining to the interior of the target property such as, but not limited to: mold, asbestos, lead, radon or other issues. Additionally, the information provided in this Report is not to be construed as legal advice.
4. This report contains certain information described herein pertaining solely to the exterior of the target property, which information was obtained from a variety of public and other sources reasonably available to the database search company. The company. does not produce, maintain or verify the information contained in these sources; and assumes, without independent investigation, that the information in such sources is accurate and complete.
Everything we do began with an idea.
We have offered “Free” Assistance to this effort, but if you are a private well owner that needs assistance we are happy to help.
We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. KCWT’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable. It can be a little or a lot. Get YOUR WATER Tested – Discounted Screening Tests, posting articles on social media, or assisting with a local event !
For more information, please go to KCWT’s About Page or contact us. Follow us on Twitter
Keystone Clean Water Team is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Unsolicited donations are appreciated (Helps us complete our mission), but we also do local educational workshops and local cellphone/small electronic recycling programs. If you would like to set up a program to help recycle cellphones at an event, business, or other organization. Through our program we can recycle cell phones, iPods, game systems, and small digital cameras. If your interested, please contact us. Our new PSAs.
Help the Organization and Get Your Water Tested or Order the Private Well Owner Guide (proceeds benefit This Organization). Water Science Basics!
Environmental Monitoring Credibility and Social License to Monitor
Improving Reliability of Baseline Monitoring Using In-Situ.
“You need proven methods and reliable equipment to meet regulations and gain a “social license” to conduct hydraulic fracturing. Partner with a company that’s been working with mining professionals since 1976. Originally providing instrumentation for in-situ uranium mining, In-Situ ® Inc. understands groundwater —- from aquifer testing to groundwater sampling. ” (In-Situ, 2014)
1. Avoid Repeat Sampling Events
Establish baselines for regulatory compliance or background studies by implementing a defensible groundwater sampling program. The smarTROLL TM Low-Flow Sampling System simplifies routine monitoring of water quality changes in groundwater near hydraulic fracturing sites both pre-drill and post-completion.
Increase field productivity by using the smarTROLL Multiparameter Handheld and the smallest volume flow-through cell on the market. The smarTROLL MP Handheld measures up to 14 parameters and wirelessly transmits data to your iOS ® device. The iSitu ® App:
* Guides you through sampling setup, calibrations, and data collection
* Stores details of purge conditions including flow rate and field parameter stabilization to demonstrate representativeness of samples
* Logs data to your smartphone —- export to Excel
* Generates digital calibration and sample reports —- no more transcription errors
* Associates photos and GPS coordinates with sites
Watch the smarTROLL low-flow sampling tutorial and the smarTROLL MP Handheld system or watch a video.
2. Measure Hydrologic Properties, Economically
Need to determine depth to water, hydraulic gradient, hydraulic conductivity, or potentiometric surface? In-Situ Inc.’s Rugged Water Level Tapes and Rugged TROLL Data Loggers perform reliably under tough field conditions.
3. Use Tools Provided by the Marcellus Shale Coalition TM
The Marcellus Shale Coalition published recommended practices for work at oil and gas sites. Download the guide on Pre-Drill Water Supply Surveys for information on establishing a baseline for groundwater conditions prior to oil and gas drilling activities. The guide provides details for the initial survey, water sampling, sample analyses, parameters, and reporting and also includes a site visit form and a summary of pre-drill maximum contaminant levels.
4. Call In-Situ Rentals
Need equipment for short-term projects? In-Situ Rentals delivers factory-maintained and calibrated equipment. Our knowledgeable team offers free consultations to ensure that you receive the right equipment for your project.
Contact us today for a free quotation. Or call 1-800-4IN-SITU (1-800-446-7488).
* To receive the 10% discount on Rugged Water Level Tapes, you must order online at In-Situ Inc.’s e-store, please mention you save this information at the Keystone Clean Water Team Blog -May 31, 2014. Domestic shipments only. Promo Code: tape2014
Get Training – Professionals – Learn about Baseline Water Quality Issues and Water Quality Problem in Pennsylvania and more about how to work with Private Well Owners – Contact Mr. Brian Oram, Professional geologist. Learn about baseline groundwater quality in Pennsylvania.
More:
Professional Education and Training
Career Training and Renewable Energy
Information on Groundwater Well Water Quality (Iron, Arsenic, Manganese, and More)
Volunteer
We seek new people at all skill levels for a variety of programs. One thing that everyone can do is attend meetings to share ideas on improving CCGG, enabling us to better understand and address the concerns of well owners. We look for people that can forward solid articles, help coordinate local education efforts, and more. Become part of the Keystone Clean Water Team!.
Everything we do began with an idea.
We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot. Get YOUR WATER Tested – Discounted Screening Tests !
For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us.
Carbon County Groundwater Guardians is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Waiting on Official Name change to the Keystone Clean Water Team by the IRS. Unsolicited donations are appreciated.
Help the Organization and Get Your Water Tested or Order the Private Well Owner Guide (proceeds benefit This Organization).
News Release: EPA participates in Blue Mountain tree planting project at Palmerton Zinc Superfund site
PHILADELPHIA (May 22, 2013) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and three partner organizations are planting 5,500 new trees on 70 acres of mountainside at the Palmerton Zinc Superfund Site along the Appalachian Trail in Palmerton, Pa. that will be in place by Memorial Day.
“EPA is proud to be part of this tree planting venture that helps transform a previously barren and contaminated site into a beautiful ecological vista along the Appalachian Trail,” said EPA mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin.
This is the second year of tree planting, which is the final step in re-vegetating Blue Mountain – – a joint effort involving EPA, the National Park Service, the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the American Chestnut Foundation. The area had suffered extensive environmental damage that was caused by years of emissions from zinc smelting operations in the Borough of Palmerton.
Last spring about 8,350 trees were planted. Before the tree planting, EPA and the National Park Service oversaw grass planting and other re-vegetation on a 500-acre section of the site that had to be done from aircraft due to the steep slope and remote location.
National Park Service Northeast Regional Director Dennis Reidenbach noted, “This is an excellent example of how collaborative public and private partnerships can have a meaningful and positive impact for the environment.”
Initially the trees will be protected by deer-proof fencing. The trees include a special mostly American, potentially blight-resistant generation of American chestnut which can help re-establish these trees in the eastern United States. Once prevalent in forests throughout the eastern United States, American Chestnuts were nearly wiped out by a blight causing fungus that was introduced around 1900.
“We are impressed by the interagency cooperation on this project and excited about the prospect of American Chestnuts once again flourishing on the Appalachian Trail,” said American Chestnut Foundation’s Sara Fitzsimmons.
In addition to the chestnut trees, various oaks, Black Gum, Sumacs, Chokeberry and Sweet Ferns will be included. Planting the seeds, seedlings, bare roots and rhizome cuttings will require drilling holes with an auger. The holes will be filled with top soil and a nursery mix.
The tree planting is being paid for by CBS Inc., formerly Viacom International, and the party potentially responsible for the contamination. More information on the Palmerton site see EPA’s website: http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/super/sites/PAD002395887/index.htm .
Contact: Bonnie Smith smith.bonnie@epa.gov, 215-814-5543
Volunteer
We seek new people at all skill levels for a variety of programs. One thing that everyone can do is attend meetings to share ideas on improving CCGG, enabling us to better understand and address the concerns of well owners.
Everything we do began with an idea.
We realize your time is precious and the world is hectic. CCGG’s volunteers do only what they’re comfortable with. It can be a little or a lot.
For more information, please go to CCGG’s About Page or contact us.
Carbon County Groundwater Guardians is a 501(c)(3) IRS approved nonprofit, volunteer organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Rare cancer cases are ‘under-reported’
http://republicanherald.com/news/rare-cancer-cases-are-under-reported-1.1140188
BY STEPHEN J. PYTAK (STAFF WRITER spytak@republicanherald.com)
Published: May 1, 2011
NEW PHILADELPHIA – A blood disease which has haunted people in the county living near coal waste sites may be on the rise, Dr. Paul I. Roda of Geisinger Hazleton Cancer Center said Saturday.
Or cases of polycythemia vera may have always been higher than area physicians have realized, Roda said, “because they’re under-reported. I believe they’ve been high all along, just never fully appreciated.”
Roda, who works with PV cases through the Geisinger Health Network, gave some insights on the disease to more than 30 area health care providers at the start of the ninth annual Simon Kramer Institute Oncologic Symposium.
Polycythemia vera is a rare but treatable form of blood cancer found at elevated levels in Schuylkill, Luzerne and Carbon counties. Many studies are still being done on PV to determine how it occurs. It’s widely believed its victims are people who have grown up near coal waste and superfund sites, Roda said.
According to the website for the state Department of Health, www.health.state.pa.us, there were 412 cases of polycythemia vera in the state between 2001-02, including 14 in Schuylkill County.
No other statistics regarding PV could be located on the department’s website Saturday night.
“Between 2004 and 2009, we identified approximately 130 cases in the entire Geisinger Health Network. I do not have numbers for specific counties,” Roda said.
He believes over the years, cases have been under-reported.
“One reason is, to start with, the state registry was set on a hospitalized basis. If you put Mr. Smith in the hospital because he had lung cancer, that gets reported. But if you’re only being seen in the office, that doesn’t get reported. It’s a matter of where they’re seen and where these cases get reported,” Roda said.
Studies are still being done to determine who is at risk for the disease.
“We still don’t have something in black and white which will tell people ‘yes you’re at risk’ or ‘no you’re not at risk.’ My experience says that the incidence is high. Until we know for certain, it certainly behooves everyone to check their blood counts once a year,” Roda said.
It’s typically found in people age 55 and up, he said.
“Since this is a disease of patients who are 55 years of age or older, you don’t have to worry about this in 20-year-olds,” Roda said.
People who believe they are infected should first go to their doctor for a general blood test and a complete blood count, Roda said.
“A $10 CBC is more than adequate. Quite simply, if the patient’s CBC is normal, if they have a normal hemoglobin, white count and platelet count, you don’t have to worry,” he said.
However, if the patient has an abnormal blood count, an increased red cell mass or thrombosis, that person might want to take a test to determine if they have what’s called a “JAK2 mutation.” It’s a genetic change found in about 9 out of 10 people with PV, Roda said.
“That (test) could cost up to $2,000,” Roda said.
To get a JAK2 blood test, visit a healthcare provider, Roda said.
Tamaqua-area cancer cases to be part of Senate hearing on disease clusters
Disease clusters that have sickened a large number of people in the area and other states will be the topic of a Senate hearing today in Washington.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hear testimony on the proposed U.S. Senate Bill 76, the “Disease Cluster Act,” aimed at confirming disease clusters and finding their causes.
Gina Solomon, senior scientist with the National Resources Defense Council, a nonprofit environmental action group, will present a report that has confirmed 42 disease clusters in 13 states across the country since 1976, including two locally.
The report references a cluster of polycythemia vera cases in Schuylkill, Luzerne and Carbon counties. In 2008, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry confirmed the diagnoses of polycythemia vera in 33 people and found rates in some areas exceeded the overall county rate by four times. Residents have pointed out that their homes are near McAdoo Associates, where toxic material was recycled and dumped until 1979 and the site made the federal Superfund list of the nation’s most toxic places.
Polycythemia vera is a blood disorder in which the bone marrow produces too many red blood cells, which causes the blood to thicken.
The report also references another cluster of 12 employees of Luzerne Intermediate Unit 18 who were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and lupus. According to the report, in 2004, Penn State University found health hazards when trichloroethylene, or TCE, was used to clean two printing presses in the administration building in Kingston, near Wilkes-Barre. The solvent routinely spilled onto the carpet. Researchers found TCE exposures were 10,000 times higher than what the Environmental Protection Agency considers an acceptable cancer risk for someone working in the building for at least 10 years.
“The report is being released at the Senate hearing because of the problems of disease clusters across the country, how they’re being investigated and whether they’re being adequately investigated,” Solomon said. “What I would like to see is better coordination between state and federal agencies and clear guidelines for how to investigate disease clusters and to have more community involvement.”
Others who will testify at the hearing include Trevor Schaefer, a 21-year-old brain cancer survivor from Boise, Idaho, and Erin Brockovich, who became well-known for her fight to document a disease cluster in Hinkley, Calif., which was turned into a movie starring Julia Roberts.
Sens. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, proposed the legislation to fund research to determine whether connections exist between disease clusters and environmental contaminants.
By Denise Allabaugh (Staff Writer dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com)
Published: March 29, 2011
http://republicanherald.com/news/tamaqua-area-cancer-cases-to-be-part-of-senate-hearing-on-disease-clusters-1.1124935
Events at Lehigh Gap Nature Center
There are several events and volunteer days coming up at Lehigh Gap Nature Center. Some of the programs require REGISTRATION. Read on.
March 26 — Spring Clean-up. 9:00 a.m. to noon. This is a big volunteer day for working on lots of spring chores at the Refuge. We depend greatly on our volunteer base and this is a great opportunity to help us out. (Rain Date — April 2)
April 23 — Earth Day Celebration
7:00 a.m. Bird Walk at LGNC. All are welcome.
9:00 a.m. to noon. Native Plant workshop. REGISTRATION REQUIRED. This is a 3-hour workshop designed to teach you about native plants and how to create habitat gardens. We will be both indoors for a presentation and outside in the gardens. Come prepared to do some weeding and also to learn about the native plants. Each participant will receive a book, a plant to take home and use in your garden, and a gift certificate to Edge of the Woods native Plant Nursery. This workshop is FREE to LGNC members and you have first chance to register. Please register as soon as possible — space is limited to 15 people. If more than one person in the same immediate family is coming, that will count as one registration. (See May 4 for another date for the same workshop).
April 30 — Natural History Workshop
8:00 a.m. Birding Workshop for beginners and families. Binoculars are available for those who do not own them. Come out and learn how to identify our local birds and learn about their ecology and behavior.
10:00 a.m. Fly fishing Demonstration by LL Bean. REGISTRATION REQUIRED. This is an opportunity to learn about the ecology and art of catch and release fly fishing. LL Bean will bring fly rods and you will have a chance to try out your casting skills.
May 4 — Native Plant Workshop
6:00-9:00 p.m. REGISTRATION REQUIRED. (Same workshop as April 23 — see description above.)
May 7 — Natural History Hike
9:00 a.m to about noon on the Charcoal Trail. Moderately difficult hike. We will climb over the top of the mountain looking for signs of spring.
May 14 — Second Saturday Bird Walk
7:00 a.m. Good time for warblers and other spring migrants and arrivals.
May 22 — LGNC and LV Audubon Birds Walk at Lehigh Gap.
7:00 a.m. Led by Corey Husic.
All of these events begin at the Osprey House. For the events requiring registration, be sure to register if you intend to come, and be sure to come if you register. If you register and do not attend, you take the place of someone else who wanted to attend – space is limited.
Contact:
Dan Kunkle
Lehigh Gap Nature Center
P.O. Box 198
Slatington, PA 18080
610-760-8889
http://lgnc.org
Aircraft to help re-vegetate portion of Palmerton Zinc Superfund Site
(PHILADELPHIA – March 11, 2011) – The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency in cooperation with the National Park Service, will oversee use of an aircraft to plant grass and other vegetation on a 500-acre section of the Palmerton Zinc Superfund site in Pennsylvania along the Appalachian Trail at the top of Blue Mountain.
This project is part of an ongoing action to repair environmental damage that was caused by emissions from zinc smelting operations in the Borough of Palmerton. Due to the steep and remote location, a modified crop dusting aircraft will be used to distribute a specific mixture of seed, lime and fertilizer on the property owned by the National Park Service and Pennsylvania State Game Land. Weather-permitting, work is scheduled to begin the week of March 14 and should take five to six weeks to complete.
“The re-vegetation of Blue Mountain marks another step forward in a lengthy clean-up process and helps restore a beautiful portion of Appalachian Trail with native grasses, plants and shrubs so that it blends in naturally with the Pennsylvania countryside,” said EPA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin.
“This step has been a long time coming and we are delighted to have this remediation work getting underway,” said Pamela Underhill, Park Manager for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
During the planting, the public will see aircraft originating from the nearby Slatington, Pa. airport flying low over the top of Blue Mountain. This aerial reseeding technique was previously used to restore other sections of the mountain west and east of the Lehigh River. The mixture of seed used during this restoration is designed to foster the growth of warm season grasses, shrubs and trees native to the area.
The restoration work is being paid for by CBS Inc., formerly Viacom International, the party potentially responsible for the contamination. More information on the Palmerton site can be found on EPA’s website at: http://www.epa.gov/reg3hwmd/super/sites/PAD002395887/index.htm .
Contacts: Roy Seneca (EPA) seneca.roy@epa.gov 215-814-5567
David Reus David_Reus@nps.gov (National Park Service) 304-535-4001
Polycythemia vera takes another life on Ben Titus Rd. Rush Twp, Tamaqua, PA
http://standardspeaker.com/news/obituaries/william-f-hinkle-1.1085019
Published: January 3, 2011
William F. Hinkle
Jan. 1, 2011
William F. Hinkle, 74, of Ben Titus Road, Tamaqua, died Saturday at his residents. He was the husband of letha Titus Hinkle.
Born in Weatherly, he was the son of the late Robert and Theresa Romanchik Hinkle. He was employed as a carpenter/project manager by Joseph Miorelli Co., Hazleton. He had served in the U.S. Army Reserves.
A member of the Drums Seventh Day Adventist Church, he was an elder of the church and served on the school board of the church.
William was a 1954 graduate of Weatherly High School.
Surviving in addition to his wife, are his son, Kent Hinkle and his wife, Sherry, Rush Township; two grandchildren, Amanda and Ty Hinkle; brothers, Robert and John Hinkle and his wife Dorothy, both of Weatherly; sisters, Ruth Postupack and Ellen Burke and her husband, Walter, both of Weatherly; and Evelyn Sheer, Drums.
He was predeceased by a sister, Frances Harahush; and by a brother, Edward Hinkle.
Private funeral services will be held at the convenience of the family, with Pastor Troy Haagenson officiating.
Calling hours will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Zizelmann-Roche Funeral Home, 500 E. Broad St., Tamaqua.
Interment will be in White Church Cemetery, Rush Township.
Arrangements are by Zizelmann-Roche Funeral Home. An online guest registry is available at www .zrgfuneralhomes.com.